Incident Command System (ICS)
What is ICS and where did it come from?
Managing emergency incidents like wildland fires can be complex, confusing and inefficient, usually because multiple agencies at the Federal, state and local levels are trying to work with each other in a pressure-packed situation. The single standard Incident Management System (ICS) was developed in the United States almost 30 years ago, and it has become the system envied and imitated by emergency response organizations around the world.
ICS resulted from the obvious need for a new approach to the problem of managing rapidly moving wildfires in the early 1970s. At that time, too many people reported to one supervisor, different emergency response organizational structures were used, incident information was lacking or unreliable, radio systems were inadequate and incompatible, coordinated planning between agencies was practically non-existent, terminology differed between agencies, lines of authority were unclear, and probably the worst problem was that incident objectives were unclear or unspecified.
Designing a whole new management system
Designing a standardized emergency management system to remedy the problems listed above took several years and extensive field-testing. The Incident Command System was developed by an interagency task force working in a cooperative local, state, and Federal interagency effort called FIRESCOPE (Firefighting Resources of California Organized for Potential Emergencies). Early in the development process, four essential requirements became clear:
- The system must be organizationally flexible to meet the needs of incidents of any kind and size.
- Agencies must be able to use the system on a day-to-day basis for routine situations as well as for major emergencies.
- The system must be sufficiently standard to allow personnel from a variety of agencies and diverse geographic locations to rapidly meld into a common management structure.
- The system must be cost effective.
The ICS Pieces of the Puzzle
The ICS organization today develops around five major functions that are required on any incident whether it is large or small. ICS establishes lines of supervisory authority and formal reporting relationships. There is complete unity of command as each position and person within the system has a designated supervisor. Direction and supervision follows established organizational lines at all times.
ICS Positions and Descriptions
The following are the major responsibilities and duties of all ICS positions. Individual agencies may have additional responsibilities and more detailed lists of duties.
Incident Commander
The Incident Commander's (IC) responsibility is the overall management of the incident. On most incidents the command activity is carried out by a single Incident Commander. The IC is selected by qualifications an experience. The IC determines incident objective and strategy, sets immediate priorities, establishes an appropriate organization, authorizes an Incident Action Plan, coordinates activity for all Command and General Staff, ensures safety, coordinates with key people and officials, authorizes release of information to the news media and the public, and other key duties.
The IC may have a deputy, who may be from the same agency, or from an assisting agency. Deputies may also be used at section and branch levels of the ICS organization. Deputies must have the same qualifications as the person for whom they work and they must be ready to take over that position at any time.
ICS Command Staff Positions
Information Officer answers directly to the Incident Commander and is responsible for developing and releasing information about the incident to the news media, to local publics, to incident personnel, and to other appropriate agencies and organizations. The IO may have numerous assistants if necessary. The IO organization conducts media briefings, tours, writes news releases, develops information summaries and displays, distributes newspapers to incident personnel, and works closely with other members of the Command and General Staffs.
Liaison Officer is the contact for the personnel assigned to the incident by assisting or cooperating agencies. These are personnel other than those on direct tactical assignments or those involved in a Unified Command. The Liaison Officer establishes and maintains interagency contacts, keeps agencies supporting the incident aware of incident status, monitors incident operations to identify current or potential organizational problems, and works closely with other members of the Command and General Staffs. Incidents that are multijurisdictional, or have several agencies involved, may require the establishment of the Liaison Officer position on the Command Staff.
Safety Officer functions to develop and recommend measures for assuring personnel safety, to assess and/or anticipate hazardous and unsafe situations, exercise authority to stop and prevent unsafe acts, investigate accidents that have occurred with the incident area, and review/approve the incident medical plan.
ICS General Staff Positions
Operations Section Chief manages incident tactical operations by directly supervising all Operations Branch/Division/Group and Air Operations personnel, develops the operations portion of the Incident Action Plan, requests resources to support tactical operations, maintains close communication with the Incident Commander, and ensures safe tactical operations. The majority of incident personnel work under the Operations Section—everyone else on the incident supports these "on-the-ground and in-the-air troops."
Planning Section Chief supervises the collection, evaluation, processing and dissemination of resource and situational incident information in an Incident Action Plan for use on each incident. Four units may be established within the Planning Section:
- Resources Unit—check-in and status tracking of all resources/personnel on the incident.
- Situation Unit—collects, organizes and maps all incident intelligence information
- Documentation Unit—maintains official incident documentation files.
- Demobilization Unit—develops and implements the incident demobilization plan.
Logistics Section Chief supervises all incident support needs, with the exception of aviation support. Six units may be established within the Logistics Section:
- Supply Unit—orders, receives, processes and stores all support supplies.
- Facilities Unit—sets up, maintains and demobilizes all support facilities.
- Ground Support Unit—maintains, services, all vehicles and provides transport services.
- Communications Unit—tracks and maintains radios, phones, FAX, and PA systems.
- Food Unit—supplies food and water needs for the entire incident.
- Medical Unit—provides medical aid and emergency procedures.
Finance/Administration Section Chief supervises all financial aspects of an incident. Four units may be established within the Finance/Administration Section:
- Time Unit—ensures accurate recording of daily personnel time.
- Procurement Unit—handles vendor contracts, leases, and equipment time records.
- Compensation/Claims Unit—handles compensation-for-injury and property claims.
- Cost Unit—provides all incident cost analysis and maintains records of incident costs.